Saturday, December 10, 2016

Quickfire Round

As promised, here are my thoughts on a sampler platter of recently and currently important topics in our soccer bubble:

You can catch my player ratings for both MLS Cup combatants later, but how about I kick title night off with a prediction? As much as Toronto FC's attack frightens and as much as they can rule at home, I can't shake the feeling that Seattle's defense and midfield will run the show, and Jordan Morris will participate in a decisive strike?

So, ummm,yuuup. I'm going with the Sounders tonight, even though I'm aware that seems kinda crazy.

Klinsmann is out and Arena is in. Frankly, I can't argue that the former had to go after losing the first two hex matches in shameful fashion, and then moaned that us rubes don't understand that it was just two losses. Uh, no, dude... it just wasn't. I feel like his behavior after the poor results was as fatal in his firing as the defeats.

Meanwhile, I also can't argue the popular take that Arena was the obviously sane choice to take over the WCQ rescue mission. That said, I will add that he needs to be more than "the pragmatic guy to get us to Russia" to be labeled a true success in his second stint as USMNT boss. He needs to do something daring. And that something could certainly have something to do with the ever-troublesome left back spot - like, ya know, settle on one actual defender for the role (which was the opposite of his risk idea in '06).

After several years of wishing, a St. Louis expansion team in MLS finally looks to be only a matter of time. The city finally has a proper ownership group, finally is developing real plans for a stadium and finally has the league courting it beyond talk.

It would be quite cool if some native sons would eventually come on board in management roles, and then gather some other local boys to suit up. That would be the St. Louis way, after all. And yes, I'm available to be wooed for the GM job.

Jozy Altidore deservedly picked up his second US Soccer Player of the Year prize yesterday. This reminds me that I need to get my Fútbol de Primera Player of the Year ballot ready soon. As usual, I will reveal my picks for the top three after I submit them.

Who is NSC?

NSC is run by Greg Seltzer (MLSsoccer.com), who has reported on soccer across the globe since 2001, covering MLS, MLS Cup, U.S. Men, Women & Youth national teams, World Cup, Gold Cup, U-20 World Cup, the UEFA European Championship, UEFA Champions League and Europa League, UEFA Cup, CONCACAF and UEFA qualifiers, Premiership, Bundesliga, Eredivisie, various second-tier leagues, domestic cups and international friendlies.